Volvo Active Safety Technology

While the “passive safety” of impact protection is important, we know the best accident is one that never happened. So much of our recent focus has been on active safety—the ability to avoid accidents or lessen their severity.

Studies from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) attributes human error as the cause of more than 90 percent of all truck-involved crashes. By providing driver warnings and taking corrective action, Active safety technology plays a vital role in helping avoid accidents. Volvo Trucks has integrated active safety technologies to provide the unique advantage of being able to set the warning hierarchy and present the most important warning or warnings to the driver.

More Stopping Power:
Volvo's Engine Brake.

I-VEB, Volvo’s unique integrated engine brake, is highly popular among Volvo drivers. And it’s easy to see why. It offers extremely high retardation over the speed range (on the D13, it offers an impressive 310 HP at just 1,500 rpm), without the driver even having to touch the brake pedal. This can help you improve safety … and increase your brake service life.

On the road,
losing control is not an option.

Perhaps the most important recent advancement in truck safety is Volvo Enhanced Stability Technology (VEST) with ABS traction control. VEST makes emergency braking more efficient. It dramatically reduces the likelihood of a rollover, jackknife or loss of control incident on both wet and dry roads. VEST sensors quickly and accurately detect a dangerous driving situation and respond by automatically reducing the engine torque and activating the necessary brakes.

By automatically compensating for driver error, miscalculation or rapidly changing road conditions, VEST helps keep the vehicle under control even on wet or snowy roads, black ice and exit ramps. Volvo trucks with VEST not only help you survive accidents, but help you avoid them as well. Serious accidents such as rollovers and jackknives are less frequent, reducing the impact of such accidents on your bottom line.

Lane Departure Warning.
Stay on the right track.

Drifting out of lane is a common cause of many crashes. Volvo’s Lane Departure Warning is a sophisticated safety system that tracks the road markings with a windshield-mounted camera. Should you unintentionally drift out of the lane, it provides audible and visual alerts to get you back on track.

Greater distance means
greater safety.

Volvo Enhanced Cruise (VEC) with Active Braking is Volvo’s fully integrated radar-based system that helps you maintain a safe following distance in traffic, , even in adverse weather and visibility conditions. Using radar sensors behind the front bumper, VEC monitors vehicles moving in front and to the side of the Volvo truck. Up to 32 objects can be detected within 500 feet in front of the truck.

If you’re following too close or a car cuts you off, a buzzer sounds while warning lights are displayed in the dash. And if you don’t react in time, VEC can step in by de-throttling the engine, apply the engine brake and when needed apply up to two-thirds the brake power – helping you avoid having a really bad day.